Francesco Guaiana Triptyque: The Spoiled Tree

Palermo has, in turns, been designated Italy's cultural, economic, and tourist capital. It has not heretofore been acknowledged for its avant-garde, solo acoustic, spontaneous improv, or modern jazz scenes. Through his consistent issuance of aural postcards from his Byzantine outpost, guitarist Francesco Guaiana has quietly emerged as the region's most gifted practitioner at all of these sub-genres.

Guaiana has come forth with his most simple and direct session to date, a trio conventionally deploying heads, verses, choruses, and bridges, incorporating modern- rock influences and colors. He's crafted his most accessible statement: a prequel to his below-the-radar, deceptively developed career.

Guaiana partially drew inspiration for this set of tunes from his stint as an artist-in-residence in Paris, and the musicians and music encountered there. But intriguingly, he claims his greatest inspiration came from an imposing piece of foliage located directly out his window: the "spoiled tree" of the title.

One of the facets of his style that makes him an important player is his deft arpeggiation of unusual chord voicings, which begins the title tune. The notes of the arpeggios act as fluttering, lingering leafs as brushed drums become winds blowing them off their branches and trunk, realized by the building role of electric bass, descending from high to low pitches, coinciding with the cymbals' pulse. It not only evokes the cover portrait, but acts as an evocation of the subject's spirit.

Guaiana's tunes strive to be aural triptyques, as he's accordingly named his band. "Gare de L'Est" achieves the trick via pulsation and propulsion. Classical technique is employed for an etude-like introduction that gives way to a live loops, executed by crystalline right hand technique. This is buoyed by the modern drum'n'bass rhythms of Ruggero Rotolo's kit in combination with Luca LoBianco's off-kilter, proggish bass line. Guaiana employs all varieties of right hand technique into his single-note statement, from staccato alternate-picking passages emphasizing intervallic leaps to more scalar legato phraseology.

While "Canalyze" is the most electric piece, its vicious odd-time vamp is tempered by a lyrical arpeggiated section. Guaiana flies with legato abandon during his aggressive solo section, choking off his cumulative series of lines with a harmonizer pedal and reverse-wah effects. Bass and drums overtake him as he creates a textured loop and long tones for them to energize, deplete, and renew.

Renewal is a theme for Guaiana, who readily reinvents himself on each release, while leaving an imprint. The "spoiled tree" is a metaphor for renewing spirit. As a leafless tree is rested and renewed, so are we on many levels; either in rhythm or opposition to nature. Here, Guaiana reaches the lofty goals of not only evoking this through his music but by also imparting some renewing energy of his own directly to his audience.

I love jazz because it rewards careful listening. Jazz can be as deep and complicated and deep as classical music, but with a sense of modernity and FUN. It swings!
My parents listened to jazz a little bit

I love jazz because it rewards careful listening. Jazz can be as deep and complicated and deep as classical music, but with a sense of modernity and FUN. It swings!
My parents listened to jazz a little bit. Then in high school I got a crush on my best friend's older brother, who was a huge jazz fan. He turned me on to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew (which was also the first album I ever bought) and the rest is history. I've met many musicians. It's a joy to live in NYC where there is such a vital community and lots of interaction between players and audience.
The best show I ever attended was... God, there have been so many great ones. My absolute favorite might be the John Lurie tribute concert at the Town Hall. Was it 2013 or 2014? I've been a huge Lounge Lizards fan since the '90s, and many of my favorite local musicians are graduates of that band. It was a joy to see so many of them come out and show their love for John Lurie. Even though he doesn't play sax anymore, he is still a presence. There was so much LOVE in that show. And since the Lounge Lizards don't perform anymore, it was a treat to hear their music live again.
My advice to new listeners... JUST KEEP LISTENING. If you're used to repetition and easy hooks of rock or pop music, you might find it challenging at first to float along with the unpredictability of jazz. But the rewards are worth it! You will learn to listen actively, not passively, and as you tune your mind into every note, texture, and harmony, you'll begin to listen to music in a new and different way. At the best live shows, it's almost a meditative experience for me. My mind just trips out on the music. It's pure bliss, even if the music is abrasive or
challenging.
Also, don't be afraid to LISTEN TO ARTIST YOU'VE NEVER HEARS OF BEFORE. The greats like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, etc. are famous for a reason. Their music stands the test of time. But there are so many young artist pushing the boundaries and creating their individual style. You might not love every show or album you listen to, but you'll discover so much. Jazz is not a museum piece--it's a living, breathing art form with almost infinite possibilities.
Finally, if you love the music, PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY. Buy some new CDs instead of streaming everything. Go to live shows and pay the ticket price. Even if it's donation only and you can sneak in for free, remember that most of these artists have years of training and have devoted themselves to an obscure art form out of pure love. Playing music is their job. You get paid for your job, and musicians deserve to get paid too.